Footage Reveals New Details in Tourist Melee at N.Y.C. Restaurant

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

Tweet text:
Rebecca Kavanagh
@DrRJKavanagh
So it turns out the incident at Carmine's in NYC didn't go down like it was reported.

The three TX women who were arrested are Black, they did show proof of their vaccination status, and the altercation started after the hostess called them a racial slur.
Restaurants in New York City are required to verify that patrons are vaccinated before allowing them to dine indoors.

Footage Reveals New Details in Tourist Melee at N.Y.C. Restaurant
Three Black women from Texas were arrested, but a lawyer for one called it “mutual combat” after they were called a racial slur.
nytimes.com
12:43 AM · Sep 19, 2021

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/18/nyregion/carmines-vaccination-fight.html


Justin Moore, a lawyer who represents one of the women, Kaeita Nkeenge Rankin, said that the hostess used a racial slur and spoke condescendingly to the patrons, suggesting that their vaccination cards were fake. He also said the Texas women claim that the hostess assaulted them.

“The hostess begins spouting out derogatory comments, and speaking with two of the women; they claim that the N-word is being spewed out” Mr. Moore said in an interview. “They also heard the hostess say, ‘Yeah, you guys can leave my restaurant,’ or something very aggressive like that. When Dr. Rankin hears that, she turns around and addresses the hostess. She tells her: ‘This isn’t your restaurant. You’re just a staff member here. Please address us with respect.’”

He called the altercation “mutual combat.”

The restaurant denied the allegations that racism played a role in the conflict.

“Nothing about this incident suggests race was an issue,” Carolyn Richmond, a lawyer who represents the restaurant, wrote in an email. “The pandemic has added a key responsibility to the host position — insuring the safety and health of all employees and guests by checking for proof of vaccination in compliance with New York City law.”

*snip*

[snowybirdie]

1. This is their

lawyer talking. No proof either way, sadly. A very disturbing incident.

[Skittles]

2. yes....people behaving very badly

ugh

[Nevilledog]

5. I'm sorry I can't include more, but the ladies were seated inside after showing vaccinated status.

[lame54]

18. Did they have vaccine proof or not?...

That's physical evidence - either way

[Demobrat]

3. I wouldn't describe 3 on 1 as mutual combat.

But I wasn’t there so I can’t judge.

[mainer]

4. I thought they were shown into the restaurant

After their vax Cards passed muster. And the melee started after they came out again?

[PoliticAverse]

11. It appears that 3 men arrived later to join the already seated women, but only one of the 3

had a vaccination card so the other 2 weren't permitted to join the women. This apparently resulted in the women leaving when words were apparently exchanged between them and the hostess leading to the "melee".

The altercation began after two men who joined their party several minutes later were unable to provide proof, the lawyers for both sides said.

...

In the footage, after the two men were denied entry, a server, wearing a white apron, comes out and talks to the hostess, making hand gestures as if explaining something. Then, footage shows the party of six leaving the restaurant. The hostess leans forward and says something, and the server pulls her back with her arms around her shoulder and gives it a tap, possibly to prevent her from engaging with them.

[PoliticAverse]

6. If your own lawyer calls it "mutual combat" I think maybe they aren't helping. n/t

[Nevilledog]

7. The article has so much more info, but it's paywalled.

[PoliticAverse]

9. Javascript disable browser add-on is your friend. n/t

[Nevilledog]

12. I have access, just limited to posting 4 paragraph excerpts.

[PoliticAverse]

8. "Several minutes later, three men arrive to join the group, but only one of the three

shows a vaccination card".

[hlthe2b]

10. I can only wonder why a hostess-- who appeared to be rather short and small stature--

would assault three women--each much larger than her.

I'm taking this with a grain of salt until more comes out.

[PoliticAverse]

13. I hope there is some neutral 3rd party that can provide additional information

as to what words were actually exchanged (another diner that witnessed the events maybe).

[madville]

14. Many think derogatory words justify violence

Been seeing this a lot more recently, people threatening violence over words as if it’s some kind justified defense under the law. Like in this case, three women assaulting someone “she called us a racial slur”, ok but even if true that’s still not a valid reason to physically assault someone.

[brush]

15. And there's no valid reason to use the N-word either. But who knows what happened really...

as apparently there's no video. We do know something happened though that set this whole thing off, which is usually the case. Sounds like another dining-while-black case to me.

[madville]

16. Of course not but whether it was said or not

Does not absolve the three women from their arrest for assault on the hostess so it’s immaterial in that regard.

[mainer]

17. The defense attorney is just making up stuff

A black waiter pushes the female assailant away. A black customer (maybe one of the women's companions -- good for him to do the right thing) grabs and hauls away the female assailant. A black restaurant manager comes out to talk to the assailants. I really doubt the 24-year-old Asian hostess, who's only been on the job for 3 weeks, would be hurling racist insults when almost everyone involved, on both sides, is black.

https://abc13.com/houston-women-assault-hostess-new-york-city-covid-vaccine-proof-covid19-mandate/11027196/